The present invention relates generally to brass musical instruments, and more particularly to the mouthpipes of trombones.
Trombones come in a variety of cylindrical bore dimensions, from as small as 0.481″ to as large as 0.562″. They are generally grouped into two categories, based on their bore dimensions. Those trombones having a bore dimension of 0.525″ or smaller, and which accommodate a tenor shank mouthpiece 30, are usually referred to as “small bore tenor trombones.” Those trombones having a bore dimension of 0.547″ or larger, and which accommodate a bass shank mouthpiece 130, are usually referred to as “large bore symphony tenor trombones,” or in the case of a bore dimension of 0.562″, simply as “tenor trombones.” There are variants to these conventions that include trombones with a bore dimension of 0.525″ on the top slide, which is the slide that receives the mouthpiece, and increases the bore dimension to 0.547″ on the bottom slide. These trombones still accommodate only the small bore tenor trombone mouthpiece shank.
The large bore symphony tenor trombones produce a sound that is particularly well suited for use in a symphony orchestra or in a concert band. The small bore tenor trombones produce a sound that is particularly well suited for a recording studio or in a night club.
Heretofore, a hard working trombone musician who played in a symphony orchestra or concert band, and also in a recording studio or night club would had to carry two trombones, one large bore symphony tenor trombone and one small bore tenor trombone, as there has never been a single trombone that would produce the quality sound of both a large bore symphony tenor trombone and a small bore tenor trombone.
Detachable and interchangeable mouthpipes for trombones, also known as venturi tubes or leadpipes, into which the trombone's mouthpiece is inserted, have existed for many years. Detachable and interchangeable mouthpipes now exist and they are available from various trombone manufacturers. Small bore tenor trombones have utilized detachable interchangeable tenor mouthpipes with varying rates of taper, but without changing the trombones' principal small bore tenor trombone sound. Large bore symphony tenor trombones have also utilized interchangeable detachable bass mouthpipes with varying rates of taper, but again without changing the trombones' principal large bore symphony tenor trombone sound.
There exists a small bore tenor trombone with a bore dimension of 0.525″ that has an alternative tenor mouthpipe that is flared-out at its proximate end to accommodate a bass shank mouthpiece, but this alternative arrangement does not transform the small bore tenor trombone into an acoustically sound large bore symphony tenor trombone. There also exist very short adaptors that fit into the proximate end of the bass mouthpipe of a large bore symphony tenor trombone to accommodate a small shank mouthpiece, but these short adaptors do not transform the large bore symphony tenor trombone into an acoustically sound small bore tenor trombone.